1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an apparatus for producing a beverage and, more specifically, to a apparatus for producing a beverage from a liquid concentrate.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Many beverages have been produced from concentrate including fruit juices and coffee and tea. However, the production of coffee and tea from concentrate has been limited substantially to commercial apparatus that is too expensive and cumbersome for home or office usage. An example of a beverage apparatus that produces beverages from two liquid concentrates is shown in the U.S. patent to Bardeau. U.S. Pat. No. 3,843,020.
Another example found in the U.S. Patent art, is the Burke et al Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,752,069. Burke et al adds water, either manually of automatically, to a beverage concentrate. The device, which may perform well, is large and complex and thus, at least as to the area of home appliances, is too expensive.
The Shaver patent, U.S. Pat. No. 4,579,048 initially brews a concentrate, specifically from tea leaves, to produce a concentrate. The concentrate is then diluted to an acceptable strength and temperature by the timed addition of water. Once again, what apparently is a desirable device for commercial use is economically not practical for home usage and is also far too large for home usage.
The Gorski dt al Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 6,149,035 uses a dry concentrate for dispensing a food or beverage. Once again an apparatus is taught which is economically unsuitable for home or office usage.
Today, liquid concentrate is economically produced and supplies of liquid coffee concentrate as well as other concentrates are available. Unfortunately, a practical apparatus for home or office use does not exist to produce coffee and tea from concentrates. Liquid concentrates provide a superior beverage and a much neater operation for the production of a beverage. When brewing coffee from liquid coffee concentrate there are no filters of used coffee grounds to clean up.
The use of a concentrate to produce coffee in a home or office from a concentrate has been recognized. The Paoloni Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 3,536,496 teaches a simplified method for producing concentrate and then using such concentrate for producing coffee. The method, however, is not practical for use today and with the availability of liquid coffee concentrate, the concept is not suitable for home and office usage. What is needed is an apparatus that is of a size and cost suitable for use in the home or office and which can brew a fresh cup of coffee one cup at a time on demand.
Efforts have been made to produce a coffee maker that uses liquid concentrate for home and office use. The Triola et al Patent, U.S. Pat. No. 5,740,719 describes a coffee maker using liquid coffee concentrate that is intended for home and office usage. Triola, et al continued with the concept of requiring a pump to deliver the concentrate. This feature has been universally accepted in the prior art. To eliminate an electromechanical pump, Triola et al uses a cylinder which is pressed down by hand to deliver concentrate. Controlling the amount of concentrate when pressing on the cylinder is not a simple task and too much or too little concentrate can result only too easily. The Triola et al Patent exemplifies the previous inability to produce a simple apparatus for making coffee from liquid coffee that operates on a gravity fed system free of pumps, whether manual or power operated.
Vitality Foodservice, Inc. of Tampa, Fla. offers dispensers for coffee and hot beverages. The device includes a solenoid valve for controlling discharge of water from a water tank to an open channel. Disposed above the open channel is a control valve for controlling discharge of concentrate into the water in the channel. The resulting beverage is then discharged.